Test of Will
by Logans4ever
Summary: Lois is out to find who has more willpower, Superman or an everyday man like Clark Kent. Clois
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing: **Clois

**Rating:** PG-13 that will become NC-17. I'll clearly mark any chapter that has graphic content.

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**Test of Will**

**Chapter 1 **

As most things do, it started with a few simple words, a thoughtless comment that escalated into something no one could have foreseen.

The day started out with a morning just like all the rest had for the past two weeks. Lois and Chloe laughed as they watched Clark squirm under the predatory eyes of Lacey Leanis. Joining the amused cousins by the coffee machine, Cat Grant smirked as she saw what was holding their attention.

"Lacey does know that she's hitting on The DP's very own self-proclaimed prude, doesn't she?" Cat asked dryly, watching the buxom blonde flutter her fake lashes at Clark.

Turning to the gossip columnist, Chloe frowned disapprovingly. "I hardly think he's a self-proclaimed prude."

"Right, which is why he skittered away each time I got within an inch of him." Cat scoffed. "Not like it matters though, he couldn't hold my interest for long anyway."

It was common knowledge that not only had Clark Kent held the fiery red head's attention, but that she had also actively pursued the shy, bumbling man. After three weeks of getting nowhere with her usually effective seductive whispers and come hither glances, Cat decided he was more trouble than he was worth. Announcing loudly to everyone within a five mile radius that Clark Kent was too timid and clumsy to be anything more than a friend at best, Cat had abandoned her seduction attempts and quickly moved on to her next conquest. Although, she had conceeded Clark was a good man she still stated vehemently that he was too average for a woman as worldly as herself.

"Maybe you just weren't his type." Chloe said defensively.

"Every man's my type." Cat stated arrogantly, tossing red locks over her shoulder.

"Not the one's with morals." Chloe snapped.

"That's just the nice way of refering to a guy that's completely bland." Cat said knowingly. "Trust me, the best guys in bed are the ones with more than enough spice."

Turning her attention back to the situation across the room, Cat laughed as she watched Clark stumble over his own feet in an attempt to put more distance between himself and the determined blonde.

"God, if I didn't know better I'd think he was a saint." Cat contemplated a moment before adding. "Either that or a virgin."

"He's just a really good guy." Chloe stated, in another useless attempt to defend her best friend.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is that I happen to like a man who knows how to take charge." Cat licked her lips. "It's such a turn on. Then again you wouldn't know about that, would you? Not with that boy you're stuck with."

Growling at the insult aimed at her fiance, Chloe spoke through gritted teeth. "I'll have you know that Jimmy is…"

Rolling her eyes at where the conversation taking place beside her was leading, Lois ignored the snappy comeback coming out of her cousin's mouth and filled her favorite blue coffee mug to the brim.

Not bothering to break the escalating argument between the two women, Lois took pity on her her partner of almost two years and decided it was time to put an end to his misery. Making a beeline to his side, Lois called out crossly. "Clark, we need to work on our story. Now."

Without waitng for a response, Lois walked away, satisfied her mission had been a success. Relief filled Clark's features as he scrambled behind his savior to the office they shared.

Chin propped up in her hand, Lois watched Clark thoughtfully. The conversation between Chloe and Cat running through her head, demanding an explanation. "Hey, Smallville?"

Looking up from his computer sceen, Clark pushed his glasses up his nose. "Yeah?"

"When was the last time you had sex?" Lois asked, shocking Clark into a coughing fit.

"W-What?" Clark stuttered, face quickly turning a bright shade of red.

Sighing, Lois repeated herself. "When was the last time you had sex?"

"Why?" Clark squeaked, staring at her wide eyed.

"Just answer the question, Kent." Lois demanded.

Knowing Lois wouldn't leave him alone until he satisfied her curiosity, Clark's shoulders slumped as he mumbled his reply.

"I'm sorry but I didn't catch that." Frowning, Lois leaned forward. "It kinda sounded like you said Lana."

Blushing, Clark answered her. "I did."

"Lana?" Lois raised her eyebrows. "When did this happen and how the hell did I not hear about it?"

"You did know about it." Clark muttered. "You were a little busy with A.C. at the time to care though."

Lois frowned, calculating in her head how many years it had been since she had last seen A.C. "That can't be right, that was like, what, five years ago?"

"Six." Clark corrected.

"Six years? You haven't…in [isix years[/i? " Lois asked incredulously, not believing her ears. At Clark's serious expression, Lois realized he wasn't joking.

Clark watched as her jaw fell open in shock, he would have laughed out loud if he hadn't been so mortified. It was one thing to talk about this kind of subject with Chloe, but with Lois it was just…humiliatng. Especially considering the not so innocent thoughts he had been entertaining about her for quite some time now.

Rubbing his neck self consciously, Clark spoke stiffly. "It's not that big of a deal."

Noticing the embarrassment on Clark's face, Lois decided to give the poor guy a break for a change."Uh-huh, sure."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"_Six _years!" Lois shouted. "Six _whole_ years!"

Chloe grinned as she watched her obviously disturbed cousin pace around the spacious lounge room.

"That's just wrong! _Wrong._" Lois ranted. "No wonder the guy's always tripping, he has too much pent up sexual energy! It's just not natural!"

"The only other man that could pull that off is Superman and that's just because he's 'Mr. Willpower'." Lois stated seriously.

Laughing, Chloe voiced her opinion. "I think you may be wrong on that account."

Stopping her frantic circuit of the room, Lois frowned and eyed Chloe. "You're telling me you think Clark Kent has more willpower than Superman?"

Shrugging, Chloe said evasively. "I'm just saying there's more to Clark Kent than meets the eye."

Plopping down on a nearby couch, Lois felt the beginnings of a brilliant plan forming in her mind.

Chloe watched as her cousin's eyes glazed over. Waiting for Lois to explain what was going on in that whirlwind mind of hers, Chloe leaned back, knowing it would only be a moment or two more. Not one to disappoint, Lois jumped up and looked at Chloe excitedly.

"I could even write an article about it, you know one of those comparative articles…"

Trying to follow her cousin's train of thought, Chloe rolled her eyes. It was a source of great annoyance to her that Lois tended to start in the middle of conversations, assuming everyone else had been thinking along the same lines. The only person who seemed to be in sink with her rapid thought processes was Clark, who didn't even bat an eyelash when Lois began one of her excited rants from the middle of nowhere.

It had actually been a shock to more than a few people when they had first seen how intuned Clark was with his partner. Not only had he been able to follow her seemingly incoherent babble and random thought patterns, but he had actually jumped a few paces ahead of her, offering a plan of action.

"Superman v.s the average man; who has the most willpower." Lois raised her hand in a large sweeping gesture. "I can see the headline now, Is Superman's willpower as super as the rest of him? No, that's no good." Frowning, Lois shook her head. "How about, Superman's secret turn ons?"

"No, that sucks too." Waving her hand dismissively, Lois spoke quickly. "I'll figure out the title later."

"Wait…" Chloe gasped as she finally caught on to what her cousin was saying. Scandalized and a bit apprehensive, she managed to ask. "You're going to have sex with Superman and Clark for a story?"

"No, I'm not going to have sex with either of them." Lois corrected as if her answer was obvious. "I'm just gong to see if Superman falls for the same old seduction techniques as Clark Kent, the epitome of the all american boy scouts."

Lois grinned, taken with the idea. "I think it'll be the best article ever written."

"I don't think this is a good idea." Chloe frowned, doubtful.

The thought of her best friend being used as nothing more than a subject for an article unnerved Chloe. Everyone in the office knew about the feelings Clark harbored for his strong willed partner, it was impossible not to see. The only thing was, Lois seemed to always accomplish the impossible and didn't even have an inkling of the feelings that were aimed at her.

Besides being protective of Clark's heart, Chloe couldn't help but cringe as she thought of the likely-hood of Lois figuring out his secret. They had been lucky the past two years when it came to hiding his secret identity, but Lois had come far to close for comfort on numerous occasions. It was only a matter of time before Lois stopped accepting the lies being force fed her and realized that two plus two did in fact equal four.

Sighing, Chloe stated. "Actually, I know it's a really _bad _idea!"

"Why?" Lois asked. "You know the women of the world would love to read about what gets Superman all hot and bothered."

Knowing that statement was more than a little true, Chloe didn't bother arguring.

"Plus, it wouldn't just be some trashy piece about sex, it'll be scientific. People want to know if Superman is even the slightest bit like normal men and I'm going to find out for them." Lois grinned like a mad woman. "It's going to be an amazing article."

Deciding to move onto another issue, Chloe asked seriously. "What if Clark gets hurt in the process?"

Perplexed, Lois asked curiously. "Why would he get hurt?"

Chloe resisted the urge to scream, _Maybe because he's madly in love with you and yet you plan on playing with him like some toy_. Clark would kill her if she let Lois in the worst kept secret of the universe so instead, Chloe said calmly. "I don't know, but it's a real possibility, Lois."

With a frown, Lois stated more forefully than neccessary. "I would never, _never_, hurt Clark."

"Not on purpose." Chloe muttered.

"Listen, if I thought Clark would be even the slightest bit hurt by this, I wouldn't have thought about it." Lois stated defensively.

Hearing something undefinable in her cousin's voice, Chloe peered at her thoughtfully. For the first time in years, she took a moment to study her cousin intently, taking note of the spark in Lois' eyes when she spoke of Clark.

Shock found it's way into her system as she suddenly realized just what that something undefined truly was.

Sure, Chloe knew Lois had come to care about him- and had often even speculated on more profound feelings, but she had never _expected _anything more than grudging respect and traces of affection to actually develop. But this…this was so much deeper than mere affection. She wouldn't be surprised if Lois didn't even realize how deeply her feelings ran for the farmboy turned journalist.

"Besides, it'll be fun to watch him squirm." Lois added with a cheeky smirk.

Smiling thoughtfully, Chloe nodded in agreement. Maybe this whole thing wasn't such a bad idea after all. Throwing a silent prayer up that she was right, Chloe questioned. "How are you going to do this?"

Eyes shininhg brightly as ideas flooded her mind, Lois jumped up and rushed out of the room, throwing a casual 'Bye' over her shoulder. Grinning at the excited departure of her cousin, Chloe decided she couldn't wait to see what kind of plan Lois came up with.

One thing was for sure, Clark was in for a major surprise and she'd bet her next paycheck that so was Lois.

All she could do now was hope this didn't turn into a complete disaster. Chloe sighed, it was a very real possibility.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A wave of giddyness, one that could only be felt when a new story was in progress washed over Lois as she practicly bounced into her office. When she noticed her partner dillengently humped over his computer, she paused and watched him. When her eyes took sight of Clark's broad shoulders, she couldn't help the sly grin that crossed her face. Her seduction attempt on the farmboy wasn't going to be much of a hardship considering the well defined body that was hidden under his expensive suit.

From the doorway to the office they shared, Lois studied her newest article piece with a thorough once over. His jet black hair was a statling contrast to the pristine white collar shirt he wore, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows; showcasing strong mucular arms.

The memory of those arms wrapped around her made Lois' heart skip a beat. It hadn't even lasted for a moment but it had felt like an eternity. She could still feel the warmth that radiated from him. Making a mental note to trip more often, Lois continued her persual of Clark's assets.

After hours of following fruitless leads his hair had been messed slightly from frustrated fingers combing through it repeatedly. Lois gulped as her eyes trailed across his chest, stopping at the opened top button. Quickly averting her eyes, she was once again met with the sight of his strong, secure arms.

Eyes sparkling, Lois felt a smile tug at her lips. No, researching this article definetly wasn't going to be a harship. Lois was positive any woman in her right mind would jump at the chance to be surrounded in those strong yet painstakingly gentle arms.

At that thought, Lois frowned. She couldn't actually remember the last time Clark had mentioned going out on a date. He never even spoke of any women he might have the slightest bit of interest in. Lois briefly played with the idea that he was just in a small slump but threw that idea out of the window almost as fast as it had come.

From what she had seen, Clark Kent was a ladies man, even if it did make him uncomfortable to an amusing extent.

Considering how many offers she knew he had gotten from various ladies around the office, he should have been spending every night with a new woman- and that wasn't even including the offers she didn't know about.

Thinking about it, Lois realized she hadn't heard anything about his lovelife in a long time, a _very_ long time. Actually, Lois didn't even think Clark's social life extended beyond her, Chloe and a few old friends such as Oliver and Bart.

With a determined nod of her head, Lois decided that after she was done with her article, she was going to have a painfully blunt conversation with the farmboy about his social life- or lack there of.

As if sensing her eyes on him, Clark looked up and smiled broadly at his partner, his eyes twinkingly in delight at her proximity.

Grinning, Lois walked slowly past Clark's chair, briefly running her fingers against the top of his seat, lightly brushing his back. Clark stiffined and sat up straighter at the feel of her whisper soft touch. Sending a quick glance at Lois, he was met with an innocent smile. "Hey, Smallville."

Clark nodded his greeting as he covertly watched her from the corner of his eye, a habit that had become second nature to him. If asked when he had developed this inherent aptitude towards the lovely woman sitting across from him, Clark was sure his mind would draw a blank, but deep down he couldn't supress the suspicion that it had started on a stormy night, years ago, in the middle of a corn field.

Clark was pulled from his musings by Lois barking rapid fire questions into her phone. He couldn't help but grin proudly as he watched his partner in action, she was truly a force to be reckoned with when she had her mind set on something.

After a few slyly phrased inqueries, Lois put her phone down with a satisfied grin. "That went well."

"Somehow, I don't think they're saying the same thing." Clark replied, grinning at the image of the Deputy Mayor in a panic.

"Not my problem." Lois dismissed breezily, picking up her phone once again. "You hungry?"

Before Clark could reply, the loud grumble from his stomach answered for him, making Lois smirk. "I'll take that as a yes."

Leaning over her desk towards Clark, Lois reached for the nearby take out menus stacked neatly between their desks.

With an audible gulp, Clark stared at the tantalizing view Lois' position afforded him. Much to his delight and embarresment, he now had an unobstructed view down the front of Lois' blouse, her thin blue, lacey bra doing nothing to preserve her modesty.

Images of throwing Lois onto his desk and tearing her blouse open to reveal the light blue material fully to his eyes filled Clark's mind, making his mouth go dry. Ruby lips parted invitingly as she watched him hover over her, eyes full of fire as he lowered himself to her. Her long legs would wrap aound his waist, forcing him closer to her scorching heat, making Clark moan in escstasy. A pleased gasp escaped her lips, filling the air, as Clark bent his head down to the lacey material, tearing it away from her chest with his teeth. Grinning devilishly, Clark moved his head, brushing his lips against her skin in whisper soft caresses. Lois let out a frustrated groan, yanking on his hair to lead his lips closer to where she truly needed him to...

"Clark?" Seemingly oblivious of her partners heated thoughts, Lois snapped her fingers infront of his face to regain his attention. When Clark looked up from her chest with glazed eyes, Lois hid her amused smile.

Urging his body to cool off, Clark shifted in his seat, hoping to hide the effects his over active imagination paired with her desirable body did to him.

As she mouthed silently 'The dipping sauce- you want it hot?', Clark merely nodded, tranfixed with the erotic scene still playing out before his unfocused eyes.

"Hot is good." Clark replied huskily, blushing at Lois' raised eyebrow. Instead of commenting on his weirdness, Lois sent him a secret smile, as if she knew something he didn't. Clark gulped as he realized that she probably did.

In awe, Clark watched as Lois absently played with the top button of her blouse as she finished ordering, her fingers brushing teasingly against the skin he longed to run his fingers over. With a small flick of her wrist the top button of her blouse popped open, revealing more of her smooth skin, causing Clark to bite back a moan.

"Getting hard yet?" Lois asked, biting down gently on her bottom lip.

Eyes bulging, Clark fell out of his chair, doubling over in a coughing fit. Jumping up, Lois rushed to his side and began to rub soft circles on his back. Clark clenched his eyes in bliss at her gentle touch but quickly waved her away, praying she wouldn't notice the affect she was having on him.

Hoping to distract Lois before she took notice of his predicament, Clark sat back down in his chair, taking great care to push his seat forward to hide his condition under his desk and stuttered out. "W-what?"

Instead of returning to her own desk as he had hoped, Lois perched herself on Clark's, her skirt bunching up to reveal toned thighs. "Finding any trace of the elusive Colin brothers, is it getting hard?"

"Y-yeah." Clark gulped, praying she hadn't noticed the squeak in his voice.

"Here, let me help." Shifting closer to look at Clark's computer, Lois allowed her hand to slip from the edge of the desk and land on Clark's firm thigh.

Before Lois even had the chance to retract her wandering hand, Clark had jolted from his seat. With a hastily mumbled excuse, he rushed out of the office, not even noticing the soft chuckle that followed his speedy departure. The sound of the door slamming closed caused Lois' chuckle to erupt into full blown laughter.

Once she had calmed down, Lois grinned and spoke smugly to the empty room. "And I wasn't even really trying yet."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

From the corner of the bustling news room, Chloe watched her best friend sprint out of his office, oblivious to the abundance of strange looks he was receiving for displaying such uncharacteristic gracefulness.

Chloe hid a small smirk as he sent a wild look of panic to the office behind him, she could only imagine what her fiesty cousin had done to create the look of mortification on Cark's face, but knowing Lois it was probably best she didn't.

Her smirk quickly fell from her face as Lois breezed confidently through the bull pen, not bothering to spare a glance at the man staring longingly at her retreating form.

With a small sigh, Chloe's traitorous mind resumed it's conflicted musings from earlier in the day. Since the headache inducing conversation with Lois this morning, her mind had been in over drive, imagining various outcomes of Lois' ill- conceived plan, so far none of them ended pleasantly for anyone involved. After spending her entire morning debating with herself and scribbling a chart of pros and cons, Chloe was still at a loss for what she should do.

Either Clark would end up with a broken heart, and Lois with a brilliant article or Lois would be livid at her baby cousin while Clark's heart only suffered minor bruising. Neither option appealed to Chloe, but she knew she had to make a decision soon.

She just had to decide which was more important to her; Clark's heart or her ingrained sense of loyalty to her cousin. Chloe knew Lois well enough to know that she would view any information leaked to Clark as a complete betrayal. The ace reporter's pride would take a beating as would her close relationship with her cousin, but in the end Lois would forgive her, they were family and that was the most important thing to both women.

Clark's heart on the other hand would be shattered and Chloe didn't think it would ever truly be whole again. She still remembered when she had first realized he had fallen head over heels for his stubborn partner, her initial reaction had been one of dread.

The idea of going through another Lana-like crush was too much for her, she had barely survived the original crush with her sanity intact. All her pessimistic thoughts had vanished though, when she had seen something cross Clark's handsome features as he argued with an irrate Lois. It was a look she had never seen before on her best friends face- one of complete happiness at simply being close to the woman he loved. It seemed that to Clark, even fighting with Lois was a joy of itself.

No, this wasn't like his childish infatuation with Lana Lang, where the slightest problem would send him to his loft to brood for days, this was much more serious than anything he had ever felt before. This was something a man felt for the woman he was meant to spend his entire life with.

Chloe rolled her eyes, she wished her pulitzer winning cousin would use some of her great investigative skills and finally see that what she had always wanted was sitting right in front of her on a daily basis, just waiting to be seen.

Finally knowing without a doubt what her decision was, what it had probably been from the first moment she had heard of Lois' article, Chloe scrambled to her feet and followed Clark up the stairwell.

Slamming open the door to the roof, Chloe walked outside, taking a moment to enjoy the warm spring breeze on her face before she saw Clark, hands gripping the cement ledge so hard Chloe was afraid he would leave an indentation of his hands.

Chloe opened her mouth but snapped it shut quickly. She didn't have a clue on the appropriate way to start this conversation; whether she should approach this seriously or turn it into a silly incident to laugh over.

Turning to face the petite blonde who was lost in thought, Clark announced abruptly. "She's driving me crazy."

"Huh, well that was convenient." Chloe muttered, thankful he had been the one to bring her cousin into the conversation. It was now one less thing she had to debate over.

"Yeah, she's good at that. Speaking of Lois…" Chloe began, grinning nervously when Clark's undivided attention was focused on her. It was sweet how at the mere mention of her cousin's name, Clark became completely alert.

"There's something I should tell you." Chloe spoke softly, looking out at the bright blue sky. "Before I do though, you should now that it's all kinda innocent…"

Chloe paused and rolled her eyes, ameneding her previous words. "Well, not _innocent_ per say, but at least not harmful- really it's kinda funny if you think about it. Only not funny 'haha' but more like 'oh, the irony', you know?"

Clark stared at his best friend with a confused, but he hoped supportive, smile. His confusion only grew as Chloe began to mumble something about seduction leading to a pulitzer. As Clark opened his mouth to question her, he heard a distant call for Superman in a voice he knew by heart.

With a faraway look in his eyes, Clark whispered worriedly. "Lois."

Chloe frowned, wondering how Lois could already be in trouble. She had just seen her cousin downstairs not more than ten minutes ago. One day she would have to ask the brash brunnete just how she managed to find trouble in such short periods of time. Then again, Lois was a Lane through and through, so it only stood to reason that she would inherit the same tendencies towards danger that Lucy displayed so proudly.

Still, even though the sisters both seemed prone to stumbling into nefarious schemes, the way they went about it were polar opposites. While Lucy seemed to seek out anything that was dangerous for the simple thrill of being rebellous, Lois managed to find herself in life-threatening situations in the midst of her search for justice and truth.

She honestly had no idea how her Uncle Sam dealt with having two daughters always in harms way, but she knew the three star General had been sleeping a lot easier since his oldest daughter had found herself a guardian angel, one that was faster than a speeding bullet and always saved the day.

Chloe stifled a giggle as she thought about her Uncle's reaction if he knew just how spicy Superman's thoughts of Lois really were. Somehow, she didn't think he would be happy if he ever found out what role his daughter played in the hero's fantasies.

Pulling herself from her entertaining musings, Chloe returned her attention to the matter at hand and was startled to find that instead of Clark Kent, Superman was now standing before her.

"Can this wait?"

Before she could even open her mouth to respond, Superman gave her a nod and disappeared in a blur of red and blue.

"Yeah, sure…" Chloe whispered, biting her lip worriedly as she looked into the clear, blue sky. "At least, I hope so…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The acrid smell of chemicals melding with steel permeated the air, adding a grimy layer to the steel walls of the large warehouse. At least, Lois assumed where she was being held captive was a warehouse, but it could have been any abandoned building in Metropolis.

Judging by the stench that assalted her nose, Lois was positive whatever this place was, it was near Harpers Dock, the less seedy twin of Suicide slums.

Pulling on the ropes binding her to a hard metal chair, Lois huffed in annoyance. Only she could manage to get kidnapped during a routine meeting with a source, one that claimed to have information on the less than upstanding dealings in the Mayor's office.

With another impatient tug, the ropes loosened slightly, allowing her hands enough space to slip free.

As the heavy ropes fell to the ground with a dull thud, Lois rolled her eyes. Her kidnappers hadn't even bothered to tie her hands properly. She wouldn't be surprised if the only thing standing between her and freedom was a locked door.

Really, criminals these days were becoming increasingly incompetent, it was as if they weren't even trying anymore. They had definitely lost their sense of creativity. Honestly, she couldn't even count how many times she had been kidnapped and tied to a chair sitting in the middle of some empty, old storage facility.

When Lois had mentioned this minor annoyance to those closest to her, all she received was a hard look from Chloe, a stern lecture from Superman and a rather distressed plea from Clark about not taking unnecessary risks.

Apparently, they didn't find the lack of creative criminal activity quite as tedious as she did.

The only other person who truly understood how she felt was Perry, who had years of hardhitting journalism under his belt. He seemed just as frustrated by the slow trickle of scandal and mayham as she was, maybe even more so- if his increasingly long-winded tirades to dig beneath the surface were any indication.

The frantic demands from her editor added in with the arrogance the Gothom Gazzete projected made Lois even more despeate for a spectacular front page byline. She only hoped this new Superman piece would appease Perry and the city of Metropolis long enough for her to uncover some type of currupt dealings within the large city.

Lois scoffed at her own thoughts, she was a pulitzer winning journalist that had been reduced to a writing about the noble protecter of Metropolis' sexual habits. Sure, it was guaranteed to be a hit, both men and women were bound to be intrigued by something so intimate about the hero. After all, the world devoured any information about Superman they could get with an hunger that was almost frightening, and something as juicy as this was sure to cause a huge buzz around the world.

Still, Lois had always preferred her articles to have the added element of jutice which this one certainly lacked.

Hopping up from the chair, Lois quickly scanned the large room for an escape route. A hard pull on all the doors revealed that they were all locked securely from the outside, which meant it was nearly impossible for her to escape through them. Quickly dismissing the large grimy windows lining the ceiling, Lois sighed and glanced around futively once more. Even though it sometimes felt as if she had a superhero at her beck and call, there was still something liberating about escaping danger on her own.

Quickly coming to the conclusion that she wouldn't be able to escape without assistance, Lois tipped her face to the ceiling and shouted. "Superman!"

It was funny that after almost two years of writing about her daring adventures, most of which ending with miraculous saves from the man of steel, that criminals still hadn't learned to at least _attempt_ to cover her mouth with something to prevent her from calling out to Superman. Surely, they had heard the numerous story's that involved Superman finding the intrepid reporter merely by listening for her voice. Lois frowned to herself, maybe her next article would be about how many common criminals actually read the Daily Planet.

Less than a minute later Lois heard the telltale whoosh that always seemed to procede Superman's arrival. "Trouble Miss Lane?"

Hiding her shudder at the sound of the deep, smooth voice washing over her, Lois smiled brightly. "No more than usual."

X-raying her body for any signs of injury, Superman nodded before turning to check for any clues as to who had kidnapped his favorite reporter.

While Superman was turned away, scanning the building for more of her attackers, Lois watched him with narrowed eyes.

Now that the moment was here, doubts began creeping into her mind. She had no idea what had ever made her think she could seduce The Man of Steel, the worlds purer than thou savior. Hell, she didn't even know if Kryptonians had intecourse like humans. For all she knew it could turn out to be some weird telepathic connection or something. Eyes widening in horror, Lois realized Superman might not even have the appropriate equipment for human reproduction. Sending a covert look at his tight red briefs, Lois silently prayed her newest theory was wrong. It would be such a waste otherwise. Pushing her disturbing ponderings aside, Lois moved onto another aspect of her seduction attempt.

Besides the fact that she had absolutely no clue about Kryptonians mating habits, she had no idea where to begin her seduction attempts. She doubted showing a little leg and bra would work like it had on Clark. After all, Superman dealt with ardent admirers all day, everyday. More than likely he had been the object of numerous seduction attempts in his time.

Superman also didn't seem like the type to appreaciate blatant sexuality, he projected more of the subtle and wholesome kind of vibe.

Gathering her courage, Lois sent a quick glance in the distracted superhero's direction. Now was as good of a time as any to at least try to capture his attention. Lois resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she casually moved her hand down her neck and popped open the top few buttons of her blouse, just enough to hint at the curves hidden underneath.

Realizing there were no clues to be found, Superman turned to Lois, his eyes immediately landing on the recently uncovered skin below her collarbone.

Lois supressed a smirk at his reaction, stating genuinely. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get out of this dump."

Stepping into Superman's arms, Lois plastered her body against his, smiling when his arms automaticly wrapped around her waist. As they floated through an open window on the roof, Lois lightly grazed her hand across Superman's chest; delicately tracing the insignia proudly displayed on the costume.

When Superman shifted her in his arms in an attempt to create distance, Lois resisted; pushing her body more forcefully against his and hiding her face against his neck.

Clark gaped down at the woman held firmly in his embrace. Lois had never been this physical with Superman before. Of course, she had always had a less than subtle crush on Superman, but she never passed the line of professionalism. The thought that Lois was hitting on him briefly flashed through Clark's mind before he pushed it away. It wasn't a likely occurrence, Superman had long ago made it clear that there could be no romantic involvement between them- even if he did secretly dream of her in his arms.

Picking up speed, Superman sped through the air as fast as his human passenger could handle without any negative side effects.

Gulping as Lois shifted, her hips coming dangerously close his, Clark clenched his eyes shut. He could feel every curve of her lucious body pressed againt his, her hot breath brushing his neck. The close proximity of her body, her scent filling his nostrails, was causing a forceful reaction that she was bound to feel any moment- if she hadn't already.

His fists clenched in frustration, his fingers itched to tear away her skewed clothing and show her how much she effected him.

Clark bit the inside of his lip, ignoring the sharp stab of pain the action caused. At this point anything that could take his mind off the warm body fitted tightly against his was a welcome distraction. He needed to get his body under control before anyone, especially Lois, figured out his true feelings. Superman was expected not only to uphold the laws of morality but to be a romodel to all the people who loked up to him for guidance- and ravishing the woman he just rescued didn't seem like the best way to keep that position in the world's eyes.

He had to get away from her soon or at the very least distract her from the growing bulge that was already glaringly obvious in his skin tight suit.

With a sense of relief, Clark saw Lois' balcony in the distance.

Sensing that their flight was almost over, Lois bit her lip. It was obvious that subtly wasn't working for her, she doubted Superman even understood what she was doing. Deciding to be a little more obvious with her intentions, Lois pulled away slightly, locking eyes with her rescuer and flicking her tongue out to slowly trace her lips.

Something flashed in his unearthly, blue depths before it disapeared too quickly for Lois to decifer what she had seen. Too soon, her feet were touching her balcony and Superman's arms dropped away from her.

Instead of taking her arms from around his neck and reluctantly stepping back like she had done so many times before, Lois moved her hands down his muscular shoulders to rest on his broad chest.

"Thanks for the rescue, Superman." Smiling seductively, Lois murmured huskily. "If there's _anything_ I can do for you, just ask."

Staring at her lips, Clark blinked as he tried to process the words coming out of her full lips.

He almost snorted as he finally figured out what she had just said. He would pay good money to see her face when she realized what her words sounded like.

Looking down into her lust filled eyes, Clark felt his heart jump in his chest as her words began ringing in his ears.

She was hitting on him!

At the realization, Clark's eyes widened and he stumbled away from her in a very un-Superman fashion.

Before he could make a move to stop her, Lois had closed the distance between them and was leaning against him, her fingers raking though his silky hair as her.

He silently groaned, if she kept this up he couldn't be held responsible for his- _Superman's_ actions. It was so tempting to just let go and be with the woman that graced his dreams at night and to be honest, most of his thoughts during the day.

Gathering all his strength, Clark pulled aay from her and said the only thing he could think of to end his torture. "Miss Lane, are you alright?"

Lois felt heat fill her face, her cheeks turning crimson at his words; mortified that he had taken her seduction attempt as some sort of illness.

"Yeah." Lois stated dully. "Freaking great."

Supeman nodded, before saying his trademark. "Be safe, Miss Lane."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that…" Lois mumbled lowly, not caring if Superman could understand her with his super-hearing. "…right after I jump infront of a train."

Without bothering to wave goodbye, Lois pushed open the balcony's french doors and stomped into her aprtment.

Plopping down onto the couch, Lois kicked off her shoes, contemplating the best way to bandage her fractured ego. As she was debating the best way to combine vodka, chocolate ice cream, and cheesecake the doorbell rang.

Standing with a groan, Lois strectched her arms and grimaced. She hadn't noticed before, but it was now painfully obvious that sitting in that hard chair had made her back and shoulders sore. Rubbing one of her shoulders in hopes of easing the tension, Lois swung open the door.

Standing in front of her with an adorable grin was the best friend a woman could ask for, chinese take out clutched in one hand and coffee in the other.

"Clark." Lois grinned, maybe she didn't need alcohol and sugary food after all. "Come in."

Smiling to herself, Lois moved aside and let Clark walk past her.

One day she was going to have to ask her loyal partner how he always seemed to know when she needed him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The sharp clatter of dishes banging harshly against the granite counter-tops echoed throughout the penthouse, effectively reflecting the chaos in Clark's mind.

Expertly navigating around the familiar kitchen, he covertly watched Lois from the corner of his eye, guilt nawing his stomach at the confusion that radiated off the ace reporter.

The awful memory of the humiliated defeat splayed across her face only minutes earlier was still fresh in his mind, making him queasy.

He had never intended to hurt her by openly disregarding her advances, but he had been left no other choice.

Even though both his heart and body had been urging him to seize the woman he loved, Clark knew he would never be able to when he was wearing the iconic red cape. It was an honor to have the world trust him. No matter how much he wanted to succumb to Lois' enticement, he could not allow himself to take advantage of his position as Superman.

Still, he had desperately wanted to clear the mortified expression from her face that she had unsuccessfully tried to hide, which was how he found himself at her door only a minute later, hands clutching bags filled with her favorite chinese takeout.

Common sense had strongly discouraged him from going to her immediatelywarning him that his body needed time to cool down before he saw her again, but his heart wouldn't allow him to stay away when she so clearly needed a friend.

Studying the silent figure in the other room, Clark sighed; knowing he was the reason behind her current need of comfort, he only hoped that Superman's dismissal hadn't caused irrepairable damage.

* * *

Sitting quietly on a plush couch that faced an expansive window, Lois stared unseeingly out at the dazzling view of the Metropolis skyline, her brows furrowed in disappointment. 

No matter how many times she went over her flight with Superman, she just couldn't understand why her attempt had been such a disaster. She had known it would be a challenge; she just hadn't expected Superman to be completely unresponsive.

Even if he had rejected her, it still would have been better than ignorance. At least then, she would have known where he stood on the issue and gone about gaining his attention accordingly. Now, she was humilaited beyond belief and still completely at a loss as to how Superman truly felt about her.

In the early stages of their aquantince, Lois had been determined to figure if he had feeling for her, only to realize- after many hours of over analyzing each interaction between them- that it was pointless.

Superman was too inconsistent in their personal relationship for her to accurately determine her place in his life.

More than once, she had seen a sense of longing in his eyes when he would fly with her in his arms, but it always disappeared before she could be positive it wasn't just her hopeful imagination playing tricks on her. They had even had a few heartfelt conversations, but afterwards he would withdrawal; becoming even more distant than before.

More recently though, the noble hero had taken to watching her with indefinablelook on his face.

Pushing all thoughts of the puzzling man-of-steel from her mind, Lois listened to the noises coming from the kitchen, her mouth watering as the heavenly aroma reached her nose.

Lois smiled gratefully as Clark stumbled into the living room, his hands burdened with overflowing plates of her favorite food.

Reaching over to grab her plate from Clark's outstretched hand, Lois groaned. The simple movement of leaning forward had sent pain shooting down her back, her sore muscles protesting at their earlier mistreatment.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked worriedly, concern etched across his features.

Waving the incident away, Lois replied. "Yeah, I guess being tied up on a daily basis isn't so great on my back."

Setting the plates down quickly, Clark moved to her side. "Is there anything I can do?"

Lois snorted, unless Smallville had recently learned how to give deep tissue massages then he was useless to her.

Preparing to make a snarky comment, Lois shifted carelessly, wincing at the uncomfortable pull on her aching muscles; making her desperate for any kind of relief.

Of their own accord, her eyes traveled to Clark's large, strong hands. She couldn't supress the thought of how effective those firm hands would be on the tense knots in her shoulders.

Lois shook her head, trying to forget the crazy idea of Clark Kent rubbing the stiffness from her back. Still, now that she had thought of a soulition, her mind insisted on dwelling on it, highlighting any reason it was a good idea.

In all fairness, any massage was better than none; even an ameatur one by the biggest clutz in the world…

"Actually, there is…" Lois murmured, brutally pushing the protesting voice of logic out of her mind.

Clark frowned as Lois abruptly stood, walking towards her bedroom.

Without sparing a glance behind her, Lois casually informed him. "It'll be more comfortable on my bed."

Jumping up, Clark struggled to supress the images that flooded his mind of all the things he would be more than comfortable doing with her on the massive king sized bed.

"Coming?" Lois' voice reached him from the other room, snapping him out of his heated thoughts.

In his eagerness to follow her lead, Clark stumbled into the coffee table, not even bothering to put up a pretense of pain as he rushed into the bedroom.

Freezing at the sight before him, Clark blinked rapidly; expecting to wake from his vivid fantasy at any moment.

Relaxing on the bed, was the enticing vision of Lois Lane; sprawled on her stomach, head resting on her folded arms as she waited for his arrival. The deep blue silk sheets rode low on her hips, giving Clark an unhindered view of her bare back.

When she shifted slightly, Clark felt dizzy at the brief view of hidden curves the movement allowed him.

He vaguely wondered how she had gotten undressed so quickly, but dismissed it on account that he couldn't care less. The woman he loved was for some unknown reason naked on the bed and expecting something of him. He would be damned if he was going to waste time questioning his good fortune.

Sensing his eyes on her, Lois casually informed him without bothering to move. "Baby oil's on the dresser."

Eyes widening, Clark realized that Lois wanted him to give her a massage, his mouth suddenly dry at the thought of her bare skin underneath his hands.

Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder, Lois smiled at his dazed look.

"I figured it would be more effective without any clothes getting in the way." Lois explained, biting her lip. "You don't mind, do you?"

Not trusting his voice to come out as anything more than a groan, Clark shook his head, his glazed eyes conveying just how much he approved of her idea.

With clumsy hands he grabbed the bottle of baby oil, making a conscious effort not to squeeze it too tightly.

Restraining himself from using his superspeed, Clark took a deep breath and slowly walked to the bed, debating where he should sit. Feeling bold, Clark got on the bed, placing his knees on each side of Lois' thighs; holding his weight above her, he took extra care to keep his body from touching hers.

Hesitantly, he poured a small amount of the oil onto his hands, placing them tentively on her shoulders. At the light touch, Lois let out a sigh, already feeling more relaxed than she had in years.

Encouraged by her soft sigh, Clark's touch became firmer as he kneaded the knotted muscles in her shoulders.

Strong, confident hands rubbed her smooth skin in a startling contrast to the clumsy and often shy man Lois had come to call her best friend.

He began to seek out the rest of her aching muscles, pressing his fingers into them and working out the tension he found, her soft sighs and moans spurring him on.

Shifting uncomfortably, he willed his body to calm down, knowing it was a futile battle- especially with the almost sinful noises coming from beneath him.

Clark bit his lip at the feel of her soft skin under his hands, locking the sensation of each touch into his memory; to be called upon during his many fantasies surrounding his lovely friend.

His mind couldn't help but dwell on the fact that it would be so easy to lower his body the few inches separating them. Pushing the too tempting thought away, Clark took a shuddering breath and continued his enjoyable task.

Little moans of pleasure escaping her lips, Lois let herself go to the unbelievable sensations Clark's magical hands were producing, her muscles crying out joyously as his hands trailed liquid fire down her back.

Writhing, she clutched the bedspread spasmodically when his hands pressed into a particularly sensitive spot just below her shoulder.

Losing any sense of propriety he had been clinging to, Clark abandoned all pretense of a therapeutic massage, his touches turning into gentle caresses.

Tracing intricate kryptonian across the small of her back, Clark daringly moved his hands lower, pushing the sheet down further until it was bunched on the swell of her bottom.

Before he could move the sheet even lower, he realized what symbol he had been repeatedly drawing on her satiny skin. The shock of his realization caused his hand to pause, eliciting a groan of protest from Lois.

Not needing any more prompting, Clark allowed himself to continue his exploration of her delectable figure.

His hands found their way to her sides, sliding underneath her body to graze her stomach. Before his hands could continue their path, Lois held them in place; shifting restlessly.

Somehow, Clark instinctively knew what she was seeking and rushed to her aide. Hands pressing against her stomach, he lifted her up slightly; giving her enough room to bend her knees and pull them against her chest.

Head and knees pressed against the mattress, Lois found the much desired leverage her body had been craving.

Unable to resist the graceful arch of her neck, Clark's mouth pressed a heated kiss to her nape, nipping gently. Lois shoved back against him forcefully, closing the small gap between their bodies.

Letting at a loud groan at the feel of his body wrapped tightly around hers, Clark's hands balled into her hair, pushing it aside so he could trail hungry, open mouthed kisses along the side of her neck.

Grasping franticly behind her, Lois' nimble fingers came into contact with the cool metal of his zipper.

Unable to get her fingers to control the frustrating piece of metal, Lois gave up and instead clutched Clark's muscular thighs.

Heart pounding loudly in his ears, Clark suddenly realized the only barriers between him and Lois were his pants and a flimsy sheet- both easily removable. The temptation to tear the sheet from her body and then reach down and rip open his zipper was almost more than he could handle.

Reigning in his control, Clark pressed his face into Lois' neck, sucking harshly on her rapidly beating pulse.

Lois moaned, rolling her hips backwards, gasping when his hands gripped her hips; pulling her flush against the straining bulge in his pants.

"Oh God, Lois..." Clark groaned, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

The sound of Clark's husky words broke through the pleasure induced haze surrounding Lois, slamming reality full force into her over heated body.

Panicing, Lois tried to squirm away from iron body that was covering hers, only managing to escape when Clark dazedly lifted his weight, leaning back with gasping breaths.

Without glancing in his direction, Lois shakily stood beside the bed, her knees wobbly as she made sure the sheet she had rolled off the bed with was suitably preserving her sense of modesty- or what was left of it.

Blushing as she realized just how caught up in the moment she had become, Lois put as much distance as possible between herself and Clark without it being obvious.

Turning to face her balcony, Lois let out a soft sigh and rolled her eyes. At the rate she was going with her seduction attempts, her and Clark would be expecting their third child before Superman even realized that Lois was a woman- much less one he was attracted to.

She had to figure out a way to gain Superman's attention while at the same time keeping Clark from becoming serious about her. After all, she didn't want the sweet farmboy to develop feelings for her only to be told later that it all meant nothing.

Thoughts of her future pulitzer winning article firmly in mind, Lois took a deep breath and turned around.

Her breath caught in her throat when her eyes landed on Clark, still kneeling in the same position on the bed, the heated look in his eyes as he drank in her every movement making her shudder in anticipation.

Inwardly cursing her traitorous body, Lois rushed out of the room before she could succumb to the overwhelming urge to jump into his strong arms and lose herself in the moment.

Clark groaned as he watched Lois breeze out of the room, her hips swaying tantalyzingly; the sheet surrounding her doing nothing to conceal her luscious curves.

He didn't know what had come over him in the past few days, but it was seriously starting to affect his ability to function normally. If he wasn't careful he could end up losing the thing most important to him; Lois. Already, he had taken advantage of her when she had merely wanted a simple massage.

Clark sighed, knowing he would have to find a way to apologize for his brutish behavior. Knowing Lois, she would chalk the whole incident up to the lack of criminal activity in Metropolis- lately she seemed to account any weird happenings on the fact that the criminals had all taken some sort of sabbatical.

Rubbing his temples, Clark wished that for once Lois would see what was right in front of her. It sometimes felt as though everyone but her knew of his unrequited love.

He knew it probably had never even crossed the fiesty brunnete's mind that her mild mannered partner might find her desirable much less be in love with her. He could just imagine her horror if she ever realized he spent a good portion of his day checking her out.

Grimacing, Clark realized that even if he told her of his favorite past time, she would never believe him. For some reason, Lois tended to think of him as some asexual being, one that never had urges or desires of the baser nature.

Pushing the depressing thought out of his mind, Clark moved onto more important concerns.

When he had first developed feelings for his impetuous partner it had caused him to panic, until he learned to conceal them from the object of his affection, but it was quickly becoming apparent by his behavior recently that he needed more practice in that arena.

He just hoped he could learn to control himself before he embarrassed them both and did something drastic. He could already imagine himself losing all function of his brain and confessing his secret alter-ego or even worse, his secret feelings for her.


	7. Chapter 7 part 1

**A/N**: Part two should be up soon. Sorry for the long wait.

* * *

**Chapter 7 part 1**

A rhythmic ticking filled the quiet office, taunting Lois with each second that passed, painfully reminding her of the countless hours she had spent in a stalemate with the most revered man in the world.

As the intuitive reporter she was, it had taken Lois less than a day to determine that the man of steel was most assuredly going out of his way to prevent any interaction between them- which couldn't be considered the worst thing since she could be accused of the same.

Still, the fact that Superman was actively avoiding spending any time in her company caused her waning determination to once again emerge. Picking up the dented pieces of her pride, Lois eagerly embraced the thrill of once again facing a challenge after so many weeks of mundane assignments.

Although her confidence of gaining the upper hand had been ignited, Superman had managed to evade her at every pass, always murmuring a polite greeting before disappearing into the clouds.

Four days had passed since her humilatingly unsucessful overture toward the man of steel and the subsequent lapse of sanity involving her partner that had quickly followed. Lois let out a sigh of frustration at her lack of progress, she was no closer to her ultimate goal than when she had first started.

As her current failure flooded her mind, Lois tapped her pencil agitatedly on the desk, instinctively training her eyes on the diligently working man across from her. Realizing who she was staring at, Lois quickly averted her eyes, inwardly cursing her subconscious.

For some unkown reason, watching her studious partner had become something of a past time since their passionate encounter. Knowing that being caught staring would only lead to an awkward situation, she had tried her best to break the unsettling habit- nothing seemed to be working.

She had tried concentrating all her focus on Superman as she had so often done in the past, but it had proved useless. With barely a minute of contact with the man of steel, her mind had been only to willing to dwell on her complex partner.

She couldn't seem to figure him out. No matter how hard she tried, the ways of Clark Kent still baffled her. Since the first moment she had met the stark naked boy in a cornfield, he had been a conundrum, but she had learned to forge past his mysterious ways and accept that she may never fully understand him. Lately though, her mind had insisted on analyzing his every action, every word he spoke was examined for a hidden meaning- anything that would shed light to the inner workings of his mind.

It was unnerving how one minute Clark Kent was a shy, bumbling fool and the next she would catch him watching her with a startling fire in his eyes that contrasted to the timid smile he would send her.

Tossing her chewed and mangled pencil disgustedly on her desk, Lois groaned as she once again took inventory of her standing with the two most prominent men in her life.

While her frustrations with the caped hero grated endlessly on her nerves, the newfound tension between herself and Clark was slowly driving her insane.

Letting out a soft sigh, Lois sent a covert glance across her desk, frowning at her partners hunched shoulders.

Despite her eagerness to return the normal balance to their relationship, things were more than a little strained between them.

Even though her attitude had returned to ordinary, if a little distant, toward her partner, Clark had become increasily agitated and subdued since what Lois had begun referring to as the 'massage incident'- not her most original phrase, but to be fair, most of her energy was spent puzzling over the two men of her article.

Not only was the spark of electricity that passed between them whenever they were in the same room growing to new and distressing levels, but Clark had taken to acting like the depressed teenager he had grown out of years before.

More than once, Lois had looked up in time to catch a glimpse of guilt lurking in the intense blue depths. Baffled, she thought back to _that_ afternoon, raking her mind for anything he might be claiming responsibility to.

For the life of her, she just couldn't figure out why he would feel even the slightest bit of guilt. The only reasonable conclusion she could come up with was that in true Clark Kent form, he had taken all the blame from the entire incident and was in the throes of self reproach.

Shaking her head, Lois rubbed her throbbing temples. Honestly, she was going to have to set things straight if Clark continued to force all fault onto himself. It wasn't like he had done anything wrong, he had simply given her a spectacular massage- _nothing more_.

The whole incident was just an innocent case of a friend helping another friend.

Nodding approvingly at the thought, Lois repeated the statement in her head, praying she would start to believe it. With renewed vigor, she returned her attention to her computer screen, determined to make even the slightest bit of progress before the day was over.

Taunting her new found resolve, the ticking she had been successfuly blocking out for some time seemed to gain volume, adding to the chaos in her head.

With a low growl, Lois jerked her head up to glare at the source of the annoyance, mouth snapping closed when she found herself being watched through the heated eyes of her partner.

For lack of anything better to say, Lois softly spoke his name, licking her lips at the way it naturally rolled off her tongue. "Clark…"

As if her voice had snapped the bit of sanity he had left, Clark jumped from his seat, not bothering to pick up his upturned chair as he rushed toward the door.

Mouth agape, Lois watched in shock as Clark sprinted out of their office, stumbling past a startled Chloe along the way.

Body still pressed protectively against the door frame, Chloe watched in amusement as Clark knocked into Cat Grant, fumbling to catch the flying papers surrounding him as the red head berated him for his clumsy ways.

Turning her attention away from the spectacle that was her best friend, Chloe smiled. "By the way Clark high tailed it out of here, I'm assuming everything's going according to plan."

Shrugging, Lois dropped any pretense of getting her article written in the near future, waving her cousin into the office.

"I stopped _researching_, so I honsetly have no idea what's wrong with the farmboy." Lois replied, shaking her head at the wierdness that described Clark Kent to a T.

Not believing her ears, Chloe's eyebrows rose in shock at her cousin's announcement. She couldn't contain the hopeful tint to her words as she feverently prayed her assumptions were correct. "You're giving up on the whole thing?"

"No." Lois corrected, eyeing the blonde speculatively. She was almost positive her cousin's voice had been more than a little relieved at the prospect of the article being terminated. "I'm just taking a break with Clark- until I get Superman to the same level he's on."

Covering her disappointment with a brittle smile, Chloe nodded in understanding before furrowing her brows. "If you didn't do anything, then what was _that_-" Chloe waved her hand toward the door, indicating her friend's extra bumbling display. "-all about?"

Thoughtful eyes followed the path Clark had taken before focusing once again on the woman who was now glaring at the clock mounted on the wall.

"Everything okay, cuz?" Chloe asked, frowning at the distracted nod she received in reply.

It was obvious the brunnete was in the middle of a battle plan. Why, and more importantly, with what, Chloe had yet to figure out. Curiousity over her cousin's strange behavior battled with concern for her dearest friend.

In the end, worry for her best friend won out.

Chloe smiled faintly as she slowly backed out if the office, the hateful looks her cousin was throwing at the wall making her uneasy.

Making a mental note to get to the bottom of her cousin's sudden dislike of the wall, Chloe left the unstable brunnete to her own devices for the time being.

In search of her superpowered friend, Chloe followed the trail of fallen papers and irritated coworkers- past experience telling her it would lead her to the bumbling man she desperately needed to find.


	8. Chapter 7 part 2

**Chapter 7** -**part 2**

The blare of car horns mingled with the everyday sounds of city life, carrying on the wind to reach the lone figure that protectively watched the bustling streets from his high perch.

Allowing the familiar sounds to wash over him, Clark took a calming breath as he attempted to forget his abrupt departure only minutes earlier. He couldn't imagine what Lois had thought of him sprinting from the office like a scared child.

Sighing to himself, Clark raked his fingers through his hair. She probably hadn't even noticed, her mind too busy with images of _Superman_. He couldn't help but snort in disgust at his thoughts. He was jealous of _himself_, it didn't get any more pathetic than that.

Months ago, he had finally come to terms with her feelings for his alter ego- at least he thought he had. Now, it seemed as though all those conflicted feelings had re-emerged with a vengeance, hitting him harder than before. He didn't bother wasting time analyzing those feelings, countless hours had already been dedicated to that. Besides, it wasn't hard to determine the real reason why his troubled thoughts had once again found their way to the forefront of his mind.

She had become distant.

In the days that followed _the incident_, as Clark had taken to calling his fantasy that had come to life, Lois had become cool, cold even. Sure, she was still friendly in her own unique way, but it was in the same impersonal way she regarded the mailman. Her overly polite attitude stung more than any harsh words she could ever throw at him.

He had given her space, hoping the entire situation would blow over and things between them would return to normal, but it seemed that with every day that passed she became more closed off from him. The only thing worse than her aloofness was her outright determination to get close to his alter ego.

His fragile hopes that she was finally beginning to see past the façade of the mild mannered reporter had been dashed with each attempt she made to catch the Man of Steel's attention.

Still, his heart found solace in the perplexed and often glazed looks she sent him when she assumed he was too engrossed in work to notice. It was clear that her interest was no longer solely centered around the caped superhero, but he was finding it impossible to gauge her feelings for the timid, and more often than not, bumbling partner she had come to consider a close friend.

Quite frankly, he was confused and extremely frustrated with the entire situation. It didn't help that temptation itself had taken form as his sinfully desirable partner.

He could feel the tight control he had on his self restraint slip with every breath she took, her chest rising delightfully to strain against the thin material of her blouse. Then there were the soft sighs that would pass over her red, luscious lips as she dutifully typed away at her computer.

He was quickly losing himself to his primal urges and knew it was only a matter of time before the taut rope that held abay his rampant desires snapped.

Clark shuddered at the thought of all the pleasurable things he yearned to do to the lovely ace reporter. If he had stayed one moment longer with her so close in that secluded office… there was no way he could have controled himself, especially when she spoke his name in that breathy, siren's call.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Clark jerked from his introspection and moved further into the large shadow cast by the famous Globe atop the Daily Planet.

"Clark?" Chloe called as she made her way to the ledge, scanning her surroundings for any sign of her friend. "You out here?"

"Did you need something?" A deep voice spoke from behind her.

Jumping slightly, Chloe spun around with her hand pressed against her rapidly beating heart. Looking up at the sight of her friend casually floating down from the Daily Planet globe, Chloe rolled her eyes. "Jeez, we've talked about this before, give me a warning next time, would you?"

Shrugging sheepishly, Clark nodded; his eyes instinctively drifting to the hectic steets below.

Chloe sighed softly, sensing that his mind had already moved elsewhere. "So you wanna tell me what you're doing up here? Or maybe why you practically mowed down a handful of our coworkers to get away from my cousin?"

Startled at the mention of the woman who had been plauging his thoughts, Clark's eyes darted to his best friend. When he made no attempt to appease her curiosity, Chloe rolled her eyes. "Seriously, is anyone going to tell me why my best friend and cousin have been acting weirder than normal this week?"

Gulping, Clark looked down; suddenly unable to meet the blonde's eyes.

"What is it?" Chloe asked, more than a little distressed by his refusal to meet her eyes. Clark had always confided in her, if he was finding it difficult to do so now, then something terrible must have occurred. With worst case scenarios running through her mind, she ignored the slight tremble in her voice. "I can help you fix whatever's going on, but first I need to know what happened."

Clark shook his head, his cheeks heating at the memory of what it was Chloe so desperately wanted to know. He honestly didn't think he would be able to recount that afternoon and still keep his dignity- or his tightly wound control. "I can't it- it's private."

Blinking rapidly, Chloe's eyebrows rose in confusion at his choice of words. She had been positive her best friend was in trouble, but it was quickly becoming obvious that her mind had jumped prematurely to dire straights. Judging by the rapidly spreading shade of pink Clark's cheeks were sporting, his distress had everything to do with her abrasive cousin- because only Lois Lane could ever make Clark Kent blush so completely.

More than a little curious, Chloe couldn't suppress her inner reporter's inquisitive nature. "How private?"

At the slight glare she received in response, she knew the information she was about to pry from Clark was going to be good.

"I can't help you figure things out if I don't know what happened." Chloe stated matter of factly, grinning at the hesitant look he shot her. "Just pretend you're talking to Shelby or writing in your journal."

As he searched his mind for any excuse that would dissuade the blonde, Clark realized he could use advice from someone who knew the inner workings of Lois Lane. Besides, he had known Chloe long enough to recognize the determined look in her eyes, the one that meant she would stop at nothing until she recived the answers that satisfied her numerous questions.

His reluctance obvious, Clark sighed in defeat and began recounting the events of the steamy encounter - leaving out the more private moments he had shared with the woman he loved.

As Clark shyly began his story, her eyes narrowed as one detail in particular caught her attention.

"Wait, four days ago?" Chloe gaped at her friend, suppressing her annoyance at not being kept in the loop- especially when it came to something as juicy as this. She couldn't believe her dearest friends hadn't told her immediately. She was the one they both confided in on a regular basis, so why had neither of them felt the need to share such a monumental event with her?

At his annoyed expression, she bit her lip sheepishly and waved a dismissive hand at him as she realized it wasn't the best time to focus on such an insignificant detail. It was hard enough for Clark to tell her in the first place without her interrupting.

Fanning herself, Chloe felt the growing heat in her cheeks as Clark continued the detailed account of the events between himself and her cousin. The raw passion in his eyes as he relived those moments was enough to make her shudder. Jimmy had always said when Lois and Clark finally got together it would be an inferno- it seemed her fiance had been right on the mark. Before she could seriously contemplate finding Jimmy to celebrate, Clark's words snapped her out of the giddy haze enveloping her.

"What?" Gasping his chin gently, she forced his face in her direction and stared at the sorrow filled depths that met her gaze.

Baffled by the sweet man looking pleadingly into her eyes, begging for forgiveness; Chloe shook her head in confusion. She _couldn't_ have heard him right. It was absurd that such a kind and selfless man could believe such a thing.

Pulling away from her, Clark raked his fingers through his dark locks as he studiously avoided her probing eyes, shame pooling in his stomach as he finally allowed himself to acknowledge why his heart clenched everytime he thought of _that_ afternoon. Beneath the rampant desire that filled his mind at the mere mention of what happened, there was a darker emotion looming over him.

He had tried so hard to ignore the sickening pull on his conscience, but with every thought of Lois, his guilt mounted to new levels of condemnation. It had kept him awake at night, remorse gnawing his insides as he thought of his reprehensible actions.

It was the main reason he was hiding from the world, unable to meet the eyes of those under the false impression that he was noble. He didn't deserve to be in their good graces and he most certainly didn't deserve anything from the woman he adored most.

"It couldn't have been that bad." Chloe said consolingly, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Chloe." Clark chided gently, refusing to look in her direction. He couldn't bear to see the disappointment on his best friend's face when she came to the realization of what exactly he was trying to impart. "I took advantage of her." His voice was gruff, the words hard to form around the huge lump that had lodged in his throat. "She was vulnerable and looking for a friend..."

Watching as a mist began to cover his unfocused eyes, Chloe pressed her lips in a tight line; trying unsuccessfully to hold off a grin. Even though it was a serious moment for the man infront of her, Chloe couldn't contain the giggle that slipped from her lips. She knew it was insensitive, but she honestly couldn't help herself; the riduculous image of the overly cautious Clark Kent being too forceful with her headstrong cousin was too much for her.

Glancing up at him with a witty retort on her tongue, she snapped her mouth shut, stunned silent by the sight of betrayal in her friend's eyes. The hurt that she was laughing at him displayed openly on his face.

"Nervous laughter?" Chloe supplied quickly, sighing in relief when he merely nodded in understanding. At the moment, she was thankful for those unfortunate incidents when she had indeed let out a giggle at the most inopportune times- they certainly gave credence to her excuse.

As Clark continued with his guilty lament, the firm belief that he had done something unforgivable written clearly across his sharp features, Chloe narrowed her eyes in contemplation.

Honestly, after years of dealing with the famous Clark Kent guilt parades, Chloe was positive the entire situation was being blown way out of proportion. Clark always did have a tendency to make mountains out of molehills.

In her unbiased opinion, it had sounded as though he had been nothing but tender, if a little over eager, during the little interlude, but being the honorable and sometimes too responsible man he was, he had taken all blame for any indiscretion upon himself and had twisted the events to portray himself as a villian, while painting Lois as the innocent damsel. Chloe inwardly rolled her eyes, Lois would drop kick Clark to the moon without a second thought if she could hear where this conversation was headed.

Nodding in approval at her conclusion, Chloe surmised that more than likely, her scenerio was the accurate one since she couldn't even begin to imagine that Clark could be objective when it came to the lovely Lois Lane.

This whole thing was actually reminiscent of his Lana obsessed days; Chloe would have smiled, if it hadn't been so tedious the first time around. She was positive her pyche couldn't handle another go around on the never ending ride that was Clark Kent's love life- especially considering this time was destined to be more intense than anything that had come before.

After all, her cousin could never be mistaken for the passive aggressive Lana. Lois was known to speak her mind, damn the consequences and then there was Clark who still hadn't yet learned the art of resisting the gravitational pull of the Lane fury. At least Clark had learned some very useful tips in his years as housemate to the moody brunette. He also had the advantage of being older and wiser than his years in Smallville, thus he was no longer blind to the faults of the woman he loved. That, in itself, had been the deciding factor to Chloe that the feelings Clark held for Lois wasn't some over dramatized crush. He knew the true Lois Lane, dysfunctional issues and all, and it merely made his feelings for her stronger. It was a love that could endure anything. Now, if only her cousin was let in on that fact, then things could move past the teenage angst and into the blossoming relationship that had potential for so much more.

Beyond exhausted with the entire situation, Chloe narrowed her eyes in determination. She wouldn't allow her best friend to torture himself over something as inconsequential as a massage- no matter how heated it had turned out to be.

Chloe sighed, wishing her cousin was here to set him straight. Lois somehow always seemed to know just how to show Clark the truth of things while at the same time pulling him from his brooding ways.

Besides, if her cousin ever found out he was berating himself over what had happened, the fiesty brunnete would have some choice words for the farmboy. With that firmly in mind, Chloe straightened her shoulders and prepared to make him see reason.

Holding up a hand to halt him midsentence, Chloe took a deep breath before speaking; her voice stern as she voiced her thoughts. "Clark, I've known you for years and not once have I ever known you to treat a woman harshly and more importantly- I've known Lois my entire life; if she didn't approve of what you were doing, then superpowers or no, you wouldn't be alive to tell me about this incident."

Taking a moment to let her words sink into his thick skull, Chloe continued. "Were you brutish? Not even a little. Inappropriate? Yeah, maybe, but knowing Lois, that might have been for the best…" Chloe trailed off, waiting for Clark to understand what she was implying. When he continued to stare at her blankly, she sighed in frustration.  
How could he not understand what she was trying to say? Chloe rollled her eyes, barely holding back a snort. She had only been giving him the same advice for two years! If he wanted to gain Lois' attention he had to be bold, and inappropriate just so happened to be a very close sibling to bold.

For almost two years she had been forced to endure Clark's lovesick glances at her oblivious cousin, who just so happened to be moony eyed over him without realizing it- and that wasn't even including the whole Superman drama.

Sure, Lois wasn't as obvious as Clark, but the hints of deeper feelings were there; in the smile she reserved just for him and the innate way she knew his moods- sometimes before he did. It was actually eery just how intune with each other they were. Although, neither of them realized it.

The only funny part of this entire situation was that Lois had no clue about how she truly felt. Chloe sighed, her cousin just so happened to be in a serious case of denial.

Chloe had been close to the point of pulling her hair out when Lois had developed a not so minor, or secret for that matter, crush on a certain caped hero. The combination of Lois' dreamy rants about Superman and Clark's kicked puppy attitude had Chloe seriously preparing for a nervous breakdown that would culminate in the death of her two dearest friends- a crime she was positive the jury would understand when details of the bizarre love triangle were revealed.

She had tried to explain to Lois that the cape was just a costume, that love wasn't real if she didn't even know the man behind the Superman persona. Lois being the stubborn pain in the ass that she was, had insisted that Superman was just as he appeared to be and even went so far as to laugh at the idea her not knowing who hero truly was.

The only thing Chloe could account for her cousin's inherent blindness to the identity of Superman was that quite plainly; she wasn't ready to deal with the reality of the situation. Deep down, Chloe was positive her cousin had made the connection, but her instinct for self preservation had pushed it to the depths of her mind, never to be thought of again.

Her many attempts at logic had also failed when it came to Clark. She had tried to talk some sense into him; stating bluntly that he had no claim on Lois whatsoever and she was free to pursue anyone she wished. Chloe might have been a little more sympathetic had Clark made even _one_ attempt to follow her advice over the years and ask the intrepid reporter out on a date. As it was, Clark seemed content to watch from afar and wonder why his lady love didn't suddenly wake up and see the truth before her very eyes.

Chloe couldn't help but think this whole massage fiasco was actually a blessing in disguise. After all, how many hours had she wasted urging Clark to just take the leap and do something, _anything_, to gain Lois' attention. As usual, he had refused to listen to her sage advice. Maybe some inappropriate behavior was just the thing to snap Lois out of the land of denial she was happily residing in.

"Chloe?" Clark asked, interrupting the blonde's musings.

"I mean it, Clark. You're too willing to beat yourself up over some supposed wrong. Obviously, Lois doesn't blame you or else you would've already gotten an ear full." Sighing tiredly, Chloe made sure her friend knew where she stood on the issue. "I, for one, don't think you did anything wrong. Seriously, what happened was unexpected, but it wasn't anyone's fault."

_If the little grin that had been randomly appearing on her cousin's face this week was any indication, than Lois had more than enjoyed the massage he had given her._ Chloe bit her lip in a conscious effort to hold back her observation. At this point it would only confuse Clark further, which would lead to more heartfelt conversations and Chloe honestly felt she had met her quota of those for the day.

Clark studied his friend's eyes, searching for any doubt hidden across her delicate feaures. Sighing in relief when he found nothing but sincerity, he allowed himself to believe her, trusting her opinion more than his own. "Thanks, Chloe."

With an apologetic smile as the familiar distant look took over his eyes, Clark quickly became a blur. Chloe watched with a grin as the Caped Hero appeared where her best friend had been only moments earlier.

As she watched the colorful blur speed off into the sky, Chloe allowed herself to slump against the ledge behind her; the headache that had been threatening all morning finally making an appearance. "I should be getting paid for this."

It was exhausting playing therapist to both Lois and Clark, especially when neither listened to her infinite wisdom.

Rubbing her now throbbing temples, Chloe frowned in disgust as her fingers encountered a small line marring her youthful skin. It couldn't be and yet it was; a _wrinkle_. Her eyes widened in shock as she quickly concluded the stress of dealing with Lois' blindness and Clark's passiveness when it came to their respective love lives was becoming detrimental to her skin. With one last worried touch to the newly discovered line, she let out a pathetic sigh as she made her way to the elevator.

The idea of abandoning her strenuous life in favor of a long, relaxing vacation on some remote island, preferably one where flying men and cunning reporters couldn't reach, was becoming increasingly tempting. With a quick flick of her wrist, Chloe hit the button for the groundfloor; if she couldn't hide away on some idyllic beach than she could at least endulge with a nice, hot bubble bath.

Tomorrow she would try to set things right in the soap opera-esk lives of team Lane-Kent, but for now, she needed a much deserved break. It wasn't as if things could manage to get any _more_ complicated.


End file.
